Loading machine



Dec. 15; 193 6. CARTLiDGE, I 2,064,104

. LOADING MACHINE Filed Aug. :5, 1934 4 sheets-sh et 1 LOADING MACHINE I Filed Aug. 3, 1934 4 Slgeegs-Sheet -2 mew? Han/f am/- Dec. 15,1936. CARTUDGE 2,064,104

- LOADING MACHINE 4 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 3, 1934 E am WEW Dec. 15, 1936. RT D-GE 2,0 4,104 LOADING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNE'E'ED STATES manor PATENT orrlcs LOADING MACHINE Application August 3,

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in loading machines of the track-mounted type particularly adapted for loading coal in mines and has at its principal objects to provide a means cooperating with the track Wheels for holding the machine when on an incline during the loading operation and for positively moving the machine upwardly along an incline when the track wheels slip.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a winding drum having a flexible cable wound thereon and adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from the machine for holding the machine while on a grade and acting as a draft device when the track wheels slip. Said winding drum is driven from one of the truck axles and has an effective diameter similar to the diameter of the track wheels so said drum and its associated flexible cable will be effective the instant the track wheels slip. I also construct the winding drum in a novel manner so that the flexible cable extending therefrom will always be in tension, to prevent slack forming in said cable when the winding drum is not in operation and the cable is operatively connected to a fixed abutment remote from the machine.

Other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds.

30 My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a loading machine illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

35 Figure 2 is a plan View of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial fragmentary plan view of the device shown in Figure 1 with parts broken away and shown in horizontal section;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line l--l of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of Figure 4; and

Figures '7 and 8 are diagrammatical views illustrating the operation of the device of my invention.

In the drawings, the main elements of the machine embodying my invention are similar to those disclosed in a prior application, Serial No. 472,701, filed August 2, 1930, and entitled, Improvements in loading machines, so will not herein be de- 55- scribed in detail. Said main elements consist 1934, Serial No. 738,235

of a Wheeled truck or main frame Ill having an inclined gathering and loading element H extending forwardly therefrom and a discharge conveyor [2 extending from beneath the rear end of said gathering and loading element and upwardly and rearwardly therefrom overhanging the rear end of said main frame for discharging material into suitable receptacles, such as mine cars.

The main operating parts of the machine are driven by suitable means, such as an electric motor l3 disposed on the rear end of said main frame and extending longitudinally thereof. Said electric motor has driving connection with supporting track wheels M, M mounted on axles l5, l5 for moving the loading machine about the mine and for feeding the gathering and loading element into the material it is desired to load. Said electric motor also serves as a driving means for the operating parts of the gathering and loading element H and for raising or lowering said gathering and loading element, or for swinging said gathering element to either side of the track. The details of this drive are fully disclosed in my aforementioned prior application and are not part of my present invention, so Will not herein be described in detail.

The track wheels l4, M are operatively con- 'nected together by meansof a chain and sprocket drive, generally indicated by reference character I6 and may be driven from the motor l3 in reverse directions at either a high or low frictionally controlled speed Wihout reversal of said motor in the following manner:

An armature pinion l'l drives a bevel pinion 18 by means of a gear train, generally indicated by reference character I9. Said bevel pinion meshes with and drives opposing bevel gears 20, 20 which form a selective drive means for reversely driving a transversely disposed shaft 2| through suitable friction clutches. A plural-speed geared reduction drive, generally indicated by reference character 22, is provided from said transverse shaft to a coaxially arranged transverse shaft 23 for selectively driving said shaft at either a high or low speed. Said shaft is operatively connected to a transversely extending shaft 24 by means of a chain and sprocket drive, indicated by reference character 25. Said last-named shaft in turn is operatively connected to the forward truck axle by means of a chain and sprocket drive, generally indicated by reference character 26.

Referring now in particular to the details of construction of the novel holding and draft means of my invention, a winding drum 2'! is mounted on the end of a stub shaft 29 extending outwardly from the truck frame I0, rearwardly of the rearwardmost truck axle on the left hand side of the machine when looking toward the front end thereof. Said winding drum has an effective diameter which is substantially the same as, or slightly less than, the diameter of the track wheels and the face thereof is spirally grooved so a flexible cable 30 may be concentrically wound thereon across the face thereof for one layer only, in order to maintain the same effective diameter of said drum during the entire winding or unwinding operation.

Said winding drum is journaled adjacent its inner side on a hub 3| of a sprocket 32. Said sprocket is driven from the rearwardmost truck axle |5 by means of a chain and sprocket drive, generally indicated by reference character 33, at the same speed as said truck axle. I

Said hub extends inwardly of said winding drum and abuts an annular thrust ring 34 on the shaft 29. A spider 35 is journaled on the shaft 29 on the opposite side of the thrust ring 34 from the hub 3| and is secured to and forms a supporting means for said winding drum.

A hub of a driving member 36 is keyed on the inner end of the hub 3| of the sprocket 32 and abuts the annular thrust ring 34. Said driving member is provided with an annular surf-ace extending from its hub. Said annular surface has means thereon adapted to be engaged by a driving pin 31 carried Within a bored lug 38 formed integral with the spider 35 and said driving pin is arranged so that the winding drum 2'! may be driven in one direction only without resetting of said pin. As herein shown, said driving means comprises a plurality of grooves 39, 39 having side walls arranged parallel to a diametral line extending through the center of each of said notches and said spider which form in effect oppositely disposed jaws. Said pin is held in engagement with its respective groove by means of a compression spring 49 arranged concentrically therewith and carried within the bored portion of said lug. One face of said pin is shouldered and adapted to be parallel to an engaging face of the grooves 39 and provides an engaging surface which is adapted to be engaged by one side of one of said grooves. An opposite face-of said pin is beveled upwardly from the bottom thereof so that engagement of said beveled surface with an engaging face of one of said notches will disengage said pin therefrom. Thus, when the driving member 36 is rotating in one direction, the drum 21 will be rotated through the pin 31, and when the direction of rotation of said driving member is reversed, said pin will be disengaged from its respective driving groove upon engagement of an engaging surface of said notch with said beveled face of said pin.

The means for holding the engaging surfaces of said pin in alinement with the respective engaging surfaces of said grooves comprises a key 4| disposed inwardly of a knob 43 on the outer end of said pin. Said key is adapted to engage either one of a pair of oppositely disposed keyways 44, 44 formed in the bored portion of the lug 38. Said key and keyways are so arranged with respect to each other that said pin may be held from turning movement when disengaged from any of the notches 39 and the end of said pin rests on the annular surface of said driving member. Said pin, however, may be manually moved against the spring 40 until said key is disengaged from one'keyway 44. Said pin may, thus, be held in an inoperative position by said key which rests on the outer surface of the lug 38, or rotated degrees and engaged with the opposite keyway 44 50 said drum may be driven in an opposite direction than formerly in cases where the direction of rotation of the track wheels l4, I4 is reversed.

Means are provided for restraining rotation of said winding drum to prevent the gathering of slack in the flexible cable 30 when the Winding drum 2'! is disconnected from the driving member 36, which means, as herein shown, includes an annular groove 45 formed in the outer surface of the spider 35 inwardly of the spring-pressed pin 31. Said annular groove is adapted to be engaged by a suitable annular friction member 46 on the inner surface of an annular engaging member 41. Said annular engaging member is provided with suitable cups 48, 48 in the outer face thereof, which are adapted to have suitable compression springs 49, 49 carried therein. Said compression springs bear against the inner face of a plate 50 secured to the outer end of the stub shaft 29 for engaging said friction member with the face of said annular groove. Suitable pins 5|, 5|, secured to and extending inwardly from said plate through the center of said springsare provided to prevent rotatable movement of the friction member 46 with respect to said annular engaging member and to hold said springs in position in said cups. Engagement of the friction member 46 with the outer face of the annular groove 45 by the compression springs 49, 43 will thus restrainrotation of said winding drum. It is preferable that the force of friction between said friction member and groovebe only suficient to prevent free rotation of said Winding drum with respect to the shaft 29 when said winding drum is disconnectedfrom the driving member36.

A guide sheave 53 is provided for training the cable 30 from the machine in a forward direction. Said guide sheave is disposed rearwardly of and adjacent the upper side of said winding drum and is mounted on the truck frame H) for adjustable movement with respect thereto about an axis extending longitudinally of said truck frame (see Figure 3). A detailed description of this guide sheave will not herein'be given since it is no portion of my present invention.

With reference 'now in particular to Figures 7 and 8 which diagrammatically illustrate the use and operation of the device of my invention, in Figure '7 the machine is shown as loading in'an upwardly pitching seam. When operating-under such conditions, the flexible cable 30 is trained rearwardly from the top of the winding drum'fl around the'guide sheave-53 andforwardly therefrom to a fixed abutment, such as a mine jack (not shown) interposed between the mine roof and bottom. As the machine is moving forwardly along the track duringloading;said'winding drum will be driven at the same speed'as the track wheels I4, l4 in a direction to wind cable thereon. As long as the track wheels do not slip, the winding speed of said drum will only be sufli'cie'nt to keep said flexible cable taut. The instant said track wheels slip, however, said Winding drum and flexible cable will move the machine upwardly along the grade until the track wheels again grab.

In case the machine is backing down grade and the track wheels are driven in an opposite 'direction than formerly, the beveled surface of the pin 31 will disengage said winding drum-from the driving member 36, and cable willbepaid 011 said drum under the control of the frictionmemberflfi. Where the pitch of the grade is such that the track wheels slip on the rail when backing down grade and there is a tendency for the machine to run away, the direction in which the track wheels are driven may be reversed either by reversing the motor or through the reverse gearing previously mentioned. When the direction of rotation of the track wheels is reversed, the drum will again be driven in a direction to wind cable thereon and hold the machine or move it up grade.

In Figure 8 the machine is shown in a loading position in a downwardly pitching seam. In this case, the flexible cable 30 is rewound on the winding drum 2! in an opposite direction than in Figure '7 and trained rearwardly from the bottom of said drum toa suitable mine jack (not shown) remote from the machine. At the same time, the position of the driving pin 31 is reversed in the hereinbefore described manner so that said winding drum is driven from the axle I when the machine is moving against the grade, and serves to pull the machine against the grade when the track wheels slip.

It will now be seen that a new and improved means has been provided which acts in cooperation with the track wheels and axles both as a holding and draft means to move the machine upwardly along a grade when the track wheels slip.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof may be altered or changed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the precise form illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a self-propelled track mounted truck, power driven track wheels and axles therefor, and holding and draft means for said truck auxiliary to said track wheels and axles comprising a winding drum having a flexible cable extending therefrom and adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from said truck, said winding drum having substantially the same effective diameter as said track wheels and being driven by one of said axles at substantially the same speed as said track wheels, and means for driving said winding drum and maintaining tension on said cable when said track wheels are driven in either direction comprising a driving pin adjustable to permit said winding drum to be driven in a winding direction only and a friction member against which said drum rotates when being unwound by said flexible cable.

2. In a self-propelled track mounted truck, power driven track wheels and axles therefor, and holding and draft means for said truck auxiliary to said track wheels and axles comprising a winding drum having a flexible cable extending therefrom and adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from said truck, said winding drum having substantially the same effective diameter as said track wheels and being driven by one of said axles at the same speed as said track wheels, and means for driving said winding drum and maintaining tension on said cable when said track wheels are driven in either direction comprising a driving pin adjustable to permit said winding drum to be driven in a winding direction only and a friction disk engageable with said winding drum for maintaining frictional resistance against said winding drum during rotation thereof in either direction.

3. In a self-propelled track mounted truck, power driven track wheels and axles therefor, and holding and draft means for said truck auxiliary to said track wheels and axles comprising a winding drum having a flexible cable extending therefrom and adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from said truck, said winding drum having substantially the same effective diameter as said track wheels and being driven by one of said axles at the same speed as said track wheels, and means for driving said winding drum and maintaining tension on said cable when said track wheels are driven in either direction comprising friction means engaging said drum and means adjustable to permit said winding drum to be driven in a Winding direction only comprising a rotatably driven driving member having oppositely disposed engaging driving surfaces thereon, and a member operatively. connected with said drum and having yieldable engagement with a face of said driving member, said member having one face conforming with one of said engaging surfaces of said driving member and an opposite non-engaging beveled face adapted to disengage said member from said engaging surface of said rotatable driving member upon."reversal of the direction of rotation of said driving member.

4. In a self-propelled track mounted truck, power driven track wheels and axles therefor; and holding and draft means for said truck auxiliary to said track Wheels and axles comprising a winding drum having a flexible cable extending therefrom and adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from said truck, said winding drum having substantially the same effective diameter as said track Wheels and being driven by one of said axles at the same speed as said track wheels, and means for driving said winding drum and maintaining tension on said cable when said track wheels are driven in either direction comprising an annular friction disk for maintaining frictional resistance against said winding drum during rotation thereof and means adjustable to permit said winding drum to be driven in a winding direction only comprising a rotatably driven driving member having oppositely disposed engaging driving surfaces thereon, a member operatively connected with said drum and having yieldable engagement with a face of said driving member, said member having one face conforming with one of said engaging surfaces of said driving member and an opposite non-engaging beveled face adapted to disengage said member from said engaging surface of said rotatable driving member upon reversal of the direction of rotation of said drum.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, wheels and axles supporting said main frame, means for driving said wheels and axles including a motor and drive gearing driven thereby for selectively driving said axles, means cooperating with said wheels for moving said apparatus upwardly along an incline when said wheels slip comprising a winding drum driven by one of the axles at the same peripheral speed as said wheels and having a cable extending therefrom adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from the apparatus, means to prevent the formation of slack in said cable comprising a friction member adapted to engage said drum during rotation thereof and a drive connection to said drum permitting said drum to be driven in a winding direction only while said track wheels are driven in either direction, said drive connection comprising a driving member, a member carried by said drum and having yieldable engagement with said driving member for rotatably driving said drum, said member carried by said drum having one engaging face and another non-engaging beveled face and being rotatably adjustable to change the direction in which said drum may be driven.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, wheels and axles supporting said main frame, means for driving said wheels and axles including a motor and .drive gearing driven thereby for selectively driving said axles, means cooperating with said wheels for moving said apparatus upwardly along an incline when said wheels slip comprising a winding drum driven by one of the axles at the same peripheral speed as said wheels and having a cable extending therefrom adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from the apparatus, means to prevent the formation of slack in said cable comprising a friction member adapted to yieldably engage said drum during rotation thereof and a drive connection to said drum permitting said drum to be driven in a winding direction only while said track wheels are: driven in either direction, said drive connection comprising a driving member having a plurality of engaging surfaces thereon, a member mounted in said drum and having yieldable engagement with said driving member and being adapted to abut one of said engaging surfaces, said member carried by said drum having one engaging face, and another non-engaging face and being adjustably rotatable to change the direction in which said drum may be driven.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a main frame, wheels and axles supporting said main frame, means for driving said wheels and axles including a motor and drive gearing driven thereby for selectively driving said axles, means cooperating with said wheels for moving said apparatus upwardly along an incline when said wheels slip comprising a winding drum driven by one of the axles at the same peripheral speed as said wheels and having a cable extending therefrom adapted to be connected to a fixed abutment remote from the apparatus, means to prevent the formation of slack in said cable comprising a friction member adapted to yieldably engage said drum during rotation thereof and means permitting said drum to be driven in a winding direction only while said track wheels are driven in either direction comprising a driving member having a plurality of groves formed in one face thereof, a pin mounted in said drum and having yieldable engagement with said driving member, said pin having one engaging face adapted to engage a side of said groove and another nonengaging beveled face and being adjustable through to change the direction in which said drum may be driven.

FRANK CARTLHJGE. 

